I'm looking at SZ 48 inch side by side vs. thermador columns vs Miele columns. I'm very sure that I want to spend the money on one of these fridges and all the bids we are getting show the prices to be about the same, give or take 1K. My question is this: aside from the aesthetics of the interior (thermador and Miele both much nicer), what advantage is SZ over the others. I am getting dual compressors in each of those brands since i would be doing columns. I have read the "is sub-zero worth it" post and found it very helpful btw. Is the air filter that worth it in SZ? Do the Thermador and Miele have air filters and keep produce as fresh as SZ owners say theirs is ? The Miele rep didn't tell me about drawer filters but she said the produce stays very fresh in the bins because they are temp/humidity controlled. She didn't give me much detail on that. Thanks!

L, I don't think I'll be much help, although I have a very old and small refrigerator which occupied a "built-in" space cut into the counter so it can't get any bigger either. I'm not OCD or CDO or even organized and don't really particularly care about organization anyway. My pantry and spice drawer would drive L2C46 completely over the edge and she'd hyper-ventilate if she saw my fridge. (grin) I tried baskets which kept things all together but took up a lot more room than the items themselves did, so that didn't work for me. I use the Lock N Lock containers, square. I love those darned things, even if I knock a container of soup over, it never spills. Plus they stack, so take up less space. I never put bread in the fridge, I leave it on my counter in the window corner and it keeps for several days in a large rectangular Lock N Lock. Of course, my house is 55, so yours may be warmer. I did smile at dcarch's sugggestion of bungee cords on the doors instead of solid shelf fronts. The shelf fronts on my old fridge broke and I replaced them with bungee cords, stretchable elastic ones with hooks on each end. The hooks fit in the holes left by the broken shelves. Now strangely shaped items fit on the shelves, I like it better than I did the solid shelves. I don't think I'd rip the shelf fronts off on a new refrigerator, though. I seem to have a whole refrigerator fill of vegetables and condiments. Fruit goes in one crisper drawer, vegetable in the other. Any additional produce items go on the bottom shelf. The center shelf holds leftovers and things like pickle jars, sour cream containers, etc. The top has milk and juice, maple syrup jugs and taller items. The furthest back part of the bottom shelf contains things that are used seldom but keep a long time, like Lock N Lock boxes of salted sausage casings, waiting until we make sausage. So, the only thing that works for me is having designated "zones" and being serious about keeping things where they belong, so at least I have an inkling of the area the item is going to be in, rather than searching the entire fridge. Annie

This is GORGEOUS!! I know this is an old thread but I just stumbled on it and have to comment. :) we too live in an old house and are mid-Kitchen Reno. It’s not fun but Oxford Cabinetry just installed my beautiful white cabinets and I am thrilled. I have such a random question for you - there are lingering fumes from the paint finish and I wonder if you recall how you dealt with them. For now we’ve been told to put out coffee grounds to absorb it. Any thoughts?

Like our ovens, no two fridges works the same. I don't buy mushrooms very often. I usually have a shopping list to re-stock what we use always, then check as i zip through the market for anything unusual or seasonal and might buy mushrooms if very fresh, (the white covering the gills underneath), then, like you, need to plan a meal to use them within a few days/max a week. Not familiar with being sold in a mesh bag. I have a couple tight weave mesh bags that are suppose to keep veg fresh. Does not seem to make much difference in my fridge. In the original carton, plastic covered, mine last fine. I might poke a hole, then into the crisper drawer. If loose in a bin i put them in paper sandwich bags. Tender wild mushrooms always paper once home. Creminis are pretty tough and will last a week if fresh. (in my crisper) If i know i can't use them all, i do go ahead and freeze after a saute' with caramelized onions and/or leeks in 1/2 pint containers. I do notice that the first to go off are the ones on top touching the plastic but i usually don't wait that long. Clearly plastic is a no-no. Should probably do a test next time. I use a lot of fresh ginger and turmeric but just purchase more often. I keep them in the mesh reusable bags but i might try paper.